Small Sources 54: This is a list of 148 servants, tradesmen and labourers employed by Thomas Oliver Plunkett, 11th Lord Louth in the period 1801-03. Their place of employment was Louth Hall in the Civil parish of Tallanstown, near Ardee, County Louth. Logically, most of these workers (and particularly the labourers) would have resided in the immediate area. The house is now sadly ruined (see above), but some information on it, and on the very interesting Plunkett family, is available here.
The list was mainly compiled from an index to a rental document among the Louth Papers in the National Library of Ireland. The document is entitled the ‘Labourers, tradesmen and servants ledger’ (NLI Ms. 5444). Extracts photographed by Ancestor Network are reproduced here through the courtesy of NLI. Further information on individuals was added from other documents (e.g. daily records of attendance etc) in the same set of records, particularly relating to their occupations. The index (see example above) shows the page number of the account for each person. These individual accounts provide further information on the nature and extent of their services, and the payments made to each. An example of the 2 pages of the account of Laurence Linn is shown in Figs 1 and 2 below. Among other personal information which can be derived is that Tomy Linn and Lary are boys (as their rate of pay is half of that paide to Laurence) and that they are most probably his sons, and also that he had another child in 1802 as he borrowed money for the Christening.
The staff include both indoor and outdoor personnel, and also tradesmen providing specific services. It includes mowers, carpenters, slaters, tilers, labourers, housemaids, butlers, masons, grooms, painter and cooks. A ‘pump-borer’ (see un-named Wyre below) is ‘A person who bores tree trunks to make the cylinders of pumps‘ according to the Oxford Dictionary.
Names such as Hoey, Cluskey, Carroll, Caraher, Jordan, Matthews, Roe, Taaffe, Hughs (or Hughes) and Lamb are locally common names. Note, for instance that there are three Patt Carrolls. The list also contains some interesting rare names such as Rispin, Hawkey, Lapin (or Lappin), Durnen and Gartlany. If you are interested in information on specific families, our e-book title ‘Sources for Irish Family History 2021 lists 6,500 books and articles on over 2,500 Irish families. The sources listed contain a wealth of information in the form of articles and books. The full details are described in one of a blog.
We will also offer 1 free hour of research by a professional researcher to conduct further research on these individuals, or in other papers of the estate. We can also obtain images of the original documents. Click here and quote ‘Louth SS54’ in the subject line.
Name / Occupation (where stated) and (additional comments in italics)
Boyle, Tommy Labourer
Bond, Sawyer (Noted as ‘Edwd. Bond, Sawyer’ in one record – i.e. a person using a saw)
Breen, James
Buckill ?
Buckrea, Tenison
Byrne, James
Byrne & Co. Mowers
Carraher, Patt. Labourer
Campbell, Owen
Coron, Patt & James Labourers
Caroll, Patt. Thatcher (see below re another Patt Caroll – this name is usually spelled Carroll)
Corigan, Patt. Labourer
Caraher, James (noted as a mason in one record)
Cany, Bryan
Coghlan, Thos. Groom
Cluskey, Owen & Sons Labourers
Caroll, Patt white Labourer ( There are 3 Patt Carrolls so ‘white’ is probably a distinguising nickname)
Curtis, Thomas Labourer (Noted as ‘Thomas Curtis and sons’ in one record)
Caroll, Patt Carpenter (see comment above on another Patt Caroll)
Coleman, John Do. (Carpenter)
Cuningham, Thomas
Conely, Jas. & Patt & Co. ditchers (Noted as ‘labourers’ in one record)
Cluskey, John Labourer
Cluskey, James Mason
Cox, Widow
Cuningham, Mary Kitchen-maid
Carr, Peter Slater
Caraher, Hugh Labourer
Concanon, Betty
Conner, Mrs. Cook
Conner, Patt.
Campbell, Biddy girl Labourer
Callan, James Do.
Callan, Michl. & Martin’s (?), Labourer (not in index- listed in another record)
Conlon, Phillip
Delamar, Dick (One record states ‘Delamar & sons, stonecutters’)
Danily, Daniel (probably a variant of Donnelly)
Dooley, Mrs. Housemaid
Duffy, John & Peter Labourer
Durnen, Peggy & Co.
Doolin, Mrs.
Fitzpatrick, James Butler
Foster, Jack
Frain, John
Gartlany, James & Co. Labourer
Ginity, Bryan & Jas. (one record notes ‘The Ginitys, Masons’)
Grant, John
Hoey, Patt Labourer
Hillard, Patt. Labourer
Hoey, Owen
Hoey, Joseph
Hamil, James Labourer
Hughs, Patt & Sons
Hoey, Peter Labourer
Hanlon, Jas. Labourer (Noted as ‘James Hanlon and sons’ in one record)
Hawkey, Painter
Hillard, Matthew Labourer
Hoey, Bryan
Higgins, Edwd.
Halpeny, Jno.
Hughs, Tomy & Patt.
Hughs, James Smith
Hollen, Bidy
Jordan, Patt. Labourer
Jordan, Peter & Co. (‘Peter, Matthew and Kitt Jordan, labourers’ noted in other record)
Mrs. Johnston, Cook
Johnston, Alex. Butler
Kelly, Patt & Owen (Owen is noted as a ‘Labourer’ in one record)
Keelan, Bryan & Co. Labourers
Kinaghan, Patt. Labourer (noted as ‘Patt Kenahan, Tyrone’ in one record)
Kelly, Mary Housemaid
Kellett, Biddy
Linegin, Laughlin Sadler
Laughey ?, Michl. Labourer
Leaghan, John
Linn, Laurence Labourer (noted as ‘Laury’ in one record – see Figs 1 and 2)
.
Linn, Tomy (see detail of Laurence Linn account in Figs 1 and 2)
Lapin, Patt & Co.
Linn, John
Lawler, Mrs. Cook
Laughran, George Labourer (usually spelled Loughran – common name in Tyrone and Armagh)
Lamb, Bryan
Lanon, John Mason
Lamb, Ned Carpenter
Lynch, Catty & Co.
Lamb, Michl.
Matthews Patt More ( ‘mor’ means big in Gaelic, so this may be a nickname)
Matthews, Owen herd (i.e. tending cattle)
Matthews, Owen & Sons Labourers (noted as ‘Owen senior’ in one record)
Mullon, James Carpenter
McDonald, Patt. (one record states ‘Patt McDonell and sons’)
Matthews, Peter Mason
Matthews, Billy (Mason – noted as William, Mason in other record)
Martin, Thomas
Murry, John Labourer (usually spelled Murray)
Murtaugh, Henry
Murphy, John Cooper
McManus, Tileman (one record notes ‘Tiler’)
McCalen, Phill (Noted as ‘.. McCallen… ‘servant’ in one record)
Matthews, John Labourer (Noted as ‘John Matthews and wife’ in one record)
Mallon, Neil Carpenter
Mullon, Dick
McGuire, Tom & Co. Labourer (noted as ‘Thomas McGuire and brother’ in one record)
McQuaid, Mathew
Marsden, Mrs.
Meath, Thomas Labourer
McGurk, Phill
McDaniel, James
McFaden, Michael
Murphy, Carbery
McEnally, Patt.
McGinnis, Nicholas
Matthews, Phill & Children
Mr. McCray Butler
McEneany, James
Markey, Peter
McLinden & Co.
Matthews, Nick and brothers Labourers (not in index but present in other record)
Nash, Randall Butler
Neil, James
Oneil, Bridget Kitchenmaid (= O’Neill – noted as ‘Biddy Oneil’ in one record)
Parks, Charles Slater (noted as Parkes in one record)
Perkins, Slater (noted as ‘Thomas Perkins’ in one record)
Plunkett, Joseph
Purple, (?) Mary
Plunkett, John
Roe, James Mason
Roark, Patt. Groom (noted as undergroom in one record)
Reily, Thomas Understeward
Roe, Michael
Rispin, Jno.
Rice, Owen
Smart, John Labourer
Sharkey, Miller
Smyth, stone cutter
Stewart, Mrs. Anne (noted as ‘Mrs. A Stuart’ in one record of servants)
Stephens, John Labourer
Sweeney, Owen Labourer
Smyth, Serjant (noted as ‘occasional bailiff’ in one record)
Tatton, James Labourer
Turner, Mary Housemaid
Taaffe, John & Sons Labourers (noted as ‘Jno Taaffe and 3 sons’ in one record)
Trevers, John
Tallon, Dick Labourer
Taaffe, Nancy
Villiers, Mrs. Housekeeper
Ward, Hugh Labourer
Waters, Michl. & Co.
Waters, Betty & Co.
Willis, Robt. Painter
Wyre, pump borer
Waren, Mrs. Cook
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Further articles in our series on Irish Family History sources include:
- Petty Sessions– the records of local courts
- Catholic Church records
- Grand Jury Presentments – records of local councils on payments for public works and staff
- Rentals – management of tenants by estates and the records created
- Middle names – the use (or non-use) of second or middle names in Irish records
- How comprehensive are Irish Civil Records?
- Census returns in Gaelic or Irish language
- 80+ blogs with names extracted from manuscript sources from many counties. A handy map index to these is available here.
